Success Stories
Linux HAL Abstraction
When a leading semiconductor vendor needed to consider alternatives for efficient Linux Board Support Package (BSP) creation, they proposed an experiment with a firmware generation technology – but they had no R&D staff suitable for the project available and hiring staff for this experiment did not make sense.
They contracted Comtek to do it’s R&D Project to experiment with Linux HAL generation using a technology used in the microcontroller business.
The company had acquired a technology to generate configurations that could better optimize runtime software for specific processors. This was a project to see if that technology could generate custom board support packages and reduce the large cost associated with developing specific Linux BSP releases for each new chip.
The research was successful in showing that without a complete refactoring of the Linux kernel, only minimal benefits would be gained by this approach. By contracting with Comtek, our client had a set cost for this experiment that did not interfere with other revenue based projects and prevented unwarranted investment.
Primary skill sets:
- Microcontroller knowledge
- Development tools knowledge (IDE, Compiler, Debugger)
- Eclipse development (desktop Java solutions)
- Hardware test lab & automation
Technologies leveraged:
- CodeWarrior Classic IDE (C++ framework)
- CodeWarrior Eclipse-based toolsets (Java-based IDE, native compile/debug functionality)
- GNU Linux
Client: Linux
Date: August 26, 2017
Service: short ramp R&D
